A CELEBRATED SCOTSMAN.

Evening Star, Issue 2937, 18 July 1872, Page 4

A CELEBRATED SCOTSMAN.

To the Editor. Sir,— Allow me, through your columns, to bring under the notice of many of your readers the lamented demise of a famed Scottish preacher. About the beginning of May last, the city of Aberdeen was called upon to mourn the loss of the famed Rev. Alexander Dyce Davidson, a native of the granite city, and its me st popular and learned preacher for a pei iod of forty years. The students of both Universities, the advocates, and all the literati of Aberdeen thronged to the West Church, and imbibed sound theology, couched in elegant and forcible phraseology, year after year, during the protracted period of tis pastorate. Dr Davidson was a persevering student. He absolutely refused to fritter away his time in pastoral visitations. He directed all his energies towards pulpit preparation, and avoided public platforms. He resisted frequent importunities to leave Aberdeen for Professorial chairs, and refused the pulpit of Dr Candlish. He was an eminent Latin scholar, and his nervous diction savoured of the style of Tacitus. I Avrite from the fulness of personal knowledge of the man, both publicly and privately. Well might Aberdeen mourn with its iron tongues, and “toll its bells for about an hour,” while the body of its great citizen was being conveyed to its narrow home. Sir, it has been said that Scotland has no commentators. This is true. England has produced almost all the great divines. But this r proach will be soon wiped away; for Dr Davidson has devoted forty years' to the elucidation of the Bible, and judging from the expositions of the Book of Esther, already published, I may safely say that Dr Davidson’s practical commentary will reflect as much credit on Aberdeen, as the commentimes of Alfred B 'rues reflect lustre on tho city of Philadelphia. It is a curious coincidence that both those eminent men preached for forty years, respectively, in Aberdeen and Philadelphia. Barnes died last year, and the American city similarly bewailed his great loss. 1 hope you will find a corner for the subjoined extract from the Aberdeen Herald of May 4, 1872. I am sure it will be read with melancholy pleasure by many of your subscribers,-I am, &c. J. G. S. Grant, July 17, 1872.